Thill-coupling.



No. 649,4I4. Patented May 8, |900. S. W. ROYER.

THILL COUPLING.

(Application led Mar. 15, 1900.)

(No Model.)

um nu" NTTn STATES PATENT irren,

SIMON lV. ROYER, OF HILLSBOROUGH, KANSAS.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent ive. 649,414, :rated May s, ieoo.

Application filed March l5, 1900. Serial No. 8,779. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, SIMON WV. ROYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsborough, in the county of Marion and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to thill-couplings.

The object of the invention is to providea simple, durable, and inexpensive device of this character by means of which thills may be quickly attached to and removed from a vehicle-axle and which when in place will be securely retained against accidental disengagement.

To this end the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis aperspective view of my improved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the chill-coupling, showing the hook set in a position to receive the thill-iron. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the thill-iron secured in place.

In the drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

l denotes the coupling-head, which consists of a hollow box having a vertical slot 2, an open bottom 3, and an open rear side 4.

5 denotes a hook pivoted within the head and adapted, with its nib 6, to lie across said slot 2 and hold the thill-iron in place. The hook is provided with a forwardly-extending inclined breast-piece 7, which when the handle 8 of the hook is swung downward, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, lies partially across the slot 2 and is in a position to engage the thill-iron.

9 denotes the thill-iron, the rear end of which is forked and provided with a crosspin 10. The cross-pin 10 is adapted to be lowered into the slot? of the head, and when it comes in contact with the breast-piece 7 of the hook and the thill-iron is forced downward the nib of the hook will be swung across said slot, thereby closing the same and preventing the accidental displacement of the thill-iron.

If desired, the coupling-head may be provided with a lateral extension 11, the rear end of which is provided with a depending guard-lip 12, arranged directly at the rear end of the handle 8, so that there Will be no chance of the handle being accidentally tripped. 6o The operating-handle 8 is preferably provided with a finger-recess 13, by means of which it maybe conveniently operated when it is desired to swing the hook back into the position shown in Fig. 2. y l,

The usual spring 14 is employed for holding the hook in closed position around the' cross-piece of the thill-iron.

15 denotes the clipfor attaching the coupling to the axle, the frontportion of which is bifurcated, forming two legs, which straddle the coupling-casing and project through lugs or ears formed on sides of the casing, said legs being held from withdrawal by the nuts 1S, screwed upon the ends thereof, as shown, 75 the rear portion ot' the clip being tapered to form a single bolt, which passes through the lateral extension 1l ofthe coupling and is held therein by the nut 19.

From the foregoing description, taken in 8o connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my improved thill-coupling will be readily apparent without requiring an extended explanation.

It will be seen that the device is simple of construction, that said construction permits 0E its manufacture at small cost, and that it is exceedingly-well adapted for the purpose for which it is designed.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. 95

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. A thill-co'upling comprising a couplinghead of box-like construction having avertiron cal slot in its upper edge and an open bottom, a spring-actuated hook pivoted in said head and having a handle and being provided with an inclined breast-piece arranged under the bill of the hook and projecting for- Ward of the same, and a thill-iron having a forked head provided with a cross-pin adapted to be locked by the bill of said hook, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2.A The combination of a thiIl-coupling comprising a coupling-head of box-like const-ruction having a vertical slot in its upper edge and an open bottom, a spring-actuated hook pivoted in said head and having a handle and being provided with an inclined breastpiece arranged under the bill of the hook and projecting forward of the same, a thill-iron having a forked head provided with acrosspin adapted to be locked by the bill of said hook, a clip thefront leg member of which is forked and adapted to straddle -said coupling-head and the rear leg member of which is tapered to form a bolt, nuts to secure said forked members beneath the coupling-head, and a nut for securing said rear leg member beneath the lateral extension of said coupling-head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIMON XV. ROYER.

Witnesses:

H. B. KLIEWER, J. C. FAST. 

